Ukraine accuses Russian army of turning Luhansk into another Mariupol; Over 40,000 trapped

Russian troops are turning the Luhansk oblast into another Mariupol as the region is left without communication, internet, electricity, water, gas and other basic ammenities causing suffering to the civilians, Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights Lyudmila Denisova said in a Telegram post. "At the same time, the racists continue to strike at the important Lysychansk-Bakhmut highway, the only road that can be used to evacuate people and deliver humanitarian goods," she added. More than 40,000 civilians remain trapped within the region under the heavy Russian bombardment, waiting to be evacuated, she iterated. 

"The situation is getting more and more complicated, and Luhansk region is gradually becoming the second Mariupol," Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights Lyudmila Denisova said in the Telegram post.

She accused Russian troops of violating "all norms of international law." The Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights derided Russian military for the breach of the Article 54 of the Additional Protocol to the Geneva Conventions for the Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts. The provision forbids the troops from attacking or destroying infrastructure related to the civilian population. Denisova also called for the UN Commission to investigate the war crimes and the human rights violations in the Luhansk oblast. 

Ukraine thwarts Russia's attempts to cross river in Luhansk

Russia on May 13 lost its entire battalion while attempting to cross the Siverskyi Donets River that runs between the separatist-held region of Luhansk and the Donetsk regions in Eastern Ukraine. Ukraine's military thwarted Russian attempts to cross the river by blowing up two pontoon (floating) bridges near Bilohorivka. Satellite images accessed by geospatial intelligence firm Blacksky and shared by Ukrainian Defence Forces depict the destroyed bridges and several charred armoured tanks. As many as 1,000 soldiers either died from drowning in the river or were burnt alive, Ukraine's Defense forces informed on Twitter. 

British defence intelligence confirmed that Russia had lost “significant armoured manoeuvre elements” from a battalion tactical group – a formation with about 800 personnel. Their effort to cross the Siversky Donets River at 12 miles (20km) west of Severodonetsk was foiled by Ukraine's military forces, causing heavy casualties on the Russian Army's side. Ukrainian forces have also reportefly "successfully pushed back" Russian forces from the second largest city, Kharkiv. 

Image: AP